Folk Exorcism & The Cornish Ghost Layers

Dark Histories

Ben Cutmore

History

4.8 • 2.6K Ratings

🗓️ 15 June 2026

⏱️ 50 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

The early modern period was a rocky time for religion across Europe, fundamental pinnings of everyday life were being questioned and changing, as the reformation shifted authority away from the church. Thoughts on death and the afterlife were turned upside down, and in villages across England, restless spirits were making a comeback. To confront these supernatural intruders, communities turned to their local clergy to carry out the practice of ghost-laying, an exorcism ritual that sought to bind and banish the dead. At least, that’s what Victorian authors would have liked to believe. Part religion, part folklore, and part fear, the subject of ghost-laying is fairly well complicated, and defining just how much of it is actually true, even more so. SOURCES Walsh, Brendan C. (2023) ‘He Could Raise and Lay Ghosts at His Will’: Victorian Folklorists and the Creation of Early Modern Clerical Ghost-Laying. Folklore, 134:3, 281-303, DOI: 10.1080/0015587X.2023.2187157 Bottrell, William (1870) Traditions & Hearthside Stories of West Cornwall. Beare & Son, Penzance, UK. Hawker, Robert Steven (1870) Footprints of Former Men in Far Cornwall. James C. Commin, Exeter, UK. Andrews, William (1898) The Church Treasury of History, Custom, Folk-Lore, etc. London, UK. Bond, Thomas (1823) Topographical and Historical Sketches of the Boroughs of East and West Looe, in the County of Cornwall. J. Nichols & Son, London, UK. Hunt, Robert (1865) Popular Romances of the West of England, Or, The Drolls, Traditions and Superstitions of Old Cornwall. John Camden Hotten, London, UK. Courtney, Margaret Anne (1973) Cornish Feasts & Folklore. EP Publishing Ltd. UK. ------ For almost anything, head over to the podcasts hub at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠darkhistories.com ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Support the show by visiting our Patreon for bonus episodes and Early Access: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/darkhistories⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ The Dark Histories books are available to buy here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://author.to/darkhistories⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Dark Histories merch is available here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/3GChjk9⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Connect with us on Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://facebook.com/darkhistoriespodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Or find us on Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://twitter.com/darkhistories⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ & Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/dark_histories/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Or you can contact us directly via email at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠contact@darkhistories.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or join our Discord community: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/cmGcBFf⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ The Dark Histories Butterfly was drawn by Courtney, who you can find on Instagram @bewildereye Music was recorded by me © Ben Cutmore 2017 Other Outro music was Paul Whiteman & his orchestra with Mildred Bailey - All of me (1931). It's out of copyright now, but if you're interested, that was that. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	From the producers of Baby Rainier comes Alice and Steve, exclusively on Disney Plus.
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0:09.8	We've known each other for over 30 years.
0:12.0	When Alice's daughter starts to date, Steve...
0:14.1	Mom, I want to keep seeing him.
0:15.8	Things start to unravel.
0:18.3	Your mom just tried to shoot me.
0:19.7	What?
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0:26.9	Alice and Steve, a Hulu original series, exclusively on Disney Plus.
0:29.9	18 plus subscription required to T's and C's Apply.
0:35.9	The early modern period was a rocky time for religion across Europe.
0:38.9	Fundamental pinnings of everyday life were being questioned and changing as the Reformation shifted authority away from the church. Thoughts on death
0:45.8	and the afterlife were turned upside down, and in villages across England, restless spirits
0:51.1	were making a comeback. To confront these supernatural intruders,
0:55.0	communities turn to their local clergy to carry out the practice of ghostlaying,
1:00.0	an exorcism ritual that sought to bind and banish the dead.
1:04.0	At least, that's what Victorian authors would have liked to believe.
1:08.0	Part religion, part folklore, and part fear, the subject of ghostlaying is fairly well
	...

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